


Home

by Lippskinn



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Headcanon, Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), Post-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 11:13:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20241916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lippskinn/pseuds/Lippskinn
Summary: After Sirius died, Twelve Grimmauld Place is abandoned and everyone has to return home. Wherever that might be.





	Home

A few days after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and Tonks’ release from the hospital, the Order members prepared to abandon the headquarters at Twelve Grimmauld Place.

They emptied the house of their personal belongings, checked if no important documents were left behind and made sure that nothing that could give away the Order’s operations remained.

Everything was packed into bags and stored in the hallway.

Moody kept a close eye on them, preventing the house-elf from stealing anything.

“You know, I’m all for being nice to house-elves, but I swear to Merlin that if I find this wretched elf near our stuff, I will forget myself for a second.”

Everyone had agreed to otherwise ignore the whimpering house-elf who kept whining and mumbling in dark corners of the house.

Weirdly, the headquarters had otherwise never been busier with everyone trying to clear out the house.

Remus had packed his belongings in almost a handwave and soon joined Tonks looking for Sirius’ will.

She was systematically going through every niche of his room, making small piles of useful documents.

“Wotcher? Already finished packing?”

“I always keep a bag by the door.”

Tonks, highly embarrassed, pointed out the awkwardness of the situation and invited Remus to help her.

“Care to join me? I already finished the bed and the wardrobe. You could start at the other end of the room.”

Remus agreed and joked, “You look very professional going through people’s private belongings.”

“Search and seizure, it’s part of… ah well… I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to… you know… he was not a criminal.”

“No offense taken.”

He stepped into the room and examined some of the posters and pictures more closely.

“You’ve got to admire his taste.”

“This is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen.”

“What? Naked women?”

“What? No…”

He tried picking up a photo from the wall, but it was stuck then they heard someone knock at the door frame; it was Molly carrying a pile of clothes.

“I don’t want to interrupt your work, but he still had some clothing on the line. I ironed them and wanted to put them back.”

“Yeah sure. I finished the wardrobe anyway. I don’t think it will be a problem if you put them back in there.”

Molly put them back carefully like they were made of expensive porcelain and scurried out of the room.

Remus and Tonks silently continued their search without talking for a good few minutes.

“I’d have never thought I would have to write my will at 22.”

“I wrote mine at 18. I have no idea where I kept it though.”

“Where _would_ you keep it though?”

“We’ll be lucky to find it at all if you ask me.”

“It’s definitely not in this room.”

Tonks began putting all her little paper piles back into the drawers and cupboards.

“Does this look tidy? I can never tell. My mum is the one with the cleaning fetish. She’d have polished this place in the blink of an eye.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“She asked if you would like to come and stay with us for a while, since… you know.”

Remus paused, slowly closed the desk drawer and declined her offer.

“I’m fine. Shall we help the others?”

Tonks nodded and they closed the door behind them and went down the stairs to check if anyone still needed help.

“Remus and I are reporting back. Status?”, Tonks asked Moody mockingly who was still guarding the bags in the hallway.

“Have you found anything?”

“Negative.”

“We’ll be ready to leave once Arthur is back from the drawing-room.”

“I’ll help him,” offered Tonks and went back upstairs.

Remus picked up his bag and checked once more if everything was still there.

He’d moved into Grimmauld Place with nothing more than a linen bag full of some clothes, a few documents, and a toothbrush.

“Everything ready to go back home?”, asked Moody.

“Home?”

“I suppose you’re moving back home?”

“Oh… Umm… I suppose.”

The two men nodded at each other in a weird kind of mutual understanding, but Remus wasn’t exactly sure if they were really thinking the same.

“I’m sure Sirius meant well offering this place to Dumbledore. Frankly, it wasn’t ideal, but I guess it served its purpose. I kept telling him that we were too dependent on Sirius and that we should consider a scenario like this. He should have foreseen this. Sometimes, I…”

“You know. I think I heard Molly call for someone. I should go help her.”

“Oh of course.” Remus went down into the kitchen where Molly was sweeping the floor.

“Do you need help?”

“That would be lovely. I’d be very thankful if you could go through the pantry and throw out the perishable foods.”

“Sure. Mind if I take some?”, Remus asked hesitantly.

“Yes, of course. Take all you want before we throw them out.”

With a wave of her wand, the chairs landed on top of the table and she continued sweeping up bits of food, dust, and hair.

“This is the cleanest this place has ever been”, Molly said proudly.

“I’ll put these in my bag if you don’t mind”, announced Remus carrying a heap of food.

“I’ll just finish this and then I’ll join you upstairs.”

Remus went back upstairs to store away the food items and saw that everyone was already waiting in the hallway.

“Can we leave?”, asked Moody.

“I have no objections.”

“Did you find the will?”

“I don’t know. We weren’t looking.”

“What do you mean you were not looking? It’s why we’re here. We have orders.”

Remus felt like he’d been obliviated; like he’d forgotten place and time and all direction.

Then, he tipped his forehead, laughed and said, “we were cleaning. This is so stupid.”

Without further explanation, he hurried into the kitchen and called Molly like he was bearing good news for her.

“Molly! We’re leaving. We’re not coming back.”

Molly looked at him baffled, her hands in the sink washing the remaining dishes.

“Let me just finish this.”

“No, Molly. We’re not coming back,” he said still oddly cheerful like the answer to the “One-Billion-Dollar-Question” had suddenly popped into his head.

Molly paused and turned around.

“I ironed his clothes.”

“This is it”, his voice now trembling, “he’s not coming back.”

And at last, they understood.

**Author's Note:**

> [Home | A Remus Lupin Headcanon](https://lippskinn.tumblr.com/post/186634650277/home-a-remus-lupin-headcanon)


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